Ask John: What Are the Funniest Anime Ever Made?

Question:
In your opinion, what are the top 10 funniest anime ever (not limited to TV anime)?

Answer:
Humor and comedy are absolutely subjective characteristics. A list of the greatest anime ever filmed, and the worst anime ever made, can be compiled with relative agreement based on universal standards of mis-en-scene, writing, character development, music and various other elements. Comedy doesn’t have universal standards. And the characteristics of comedy encompass a massive array of themes and ideas. Keeping that in mind, my subjective list of best comedy anime titles uses as its basis, divergence from convention. The titles I’ve chosen as my picks for funniest anime ever are titles that shock and surprise because they constantly defy expectation. Some of these titles made me laugh out loud. Some of them simply stunned me with their bizarre originality, leaving me speechless with amazement. Here then, in alphabetical order, are my selections for funniest anime titles ever made.

Akazukin Cha-Cha has always been a sentimental favorite because it’s just so strange. Elements like an electrified fence death match magic battle in the middle of an elementary school classroom and the sweet but stupid Cha-Cha trying to wipe up a spill with an elephant are simply bizarre. A great cast of eccentric and selectively stupid characters and massive numbers of sight gags based on Japanese word puns make Akazukin Cha-Cha sort of a Japanese equivalent to Rocky & Bullwinkle- a show primarily for children, but with enough subtle humor to appeal to adults.

Azumanga Daioh, as many fans of import anime know, is a charming and warmhearted comedy that makes excellent use of subtlety and character. The humor largely comes from simple things carried out to just a slight extreme: Chiyo being overwhelmingly cute while dressed in a penguin suit, the teacher whose reckless driving gives passengers nervous breakdowns, Osaka who takes words at their literal face value, Sakaki, whose persistence and bad luck go beyond normal human tolerance. The beauty of Azumanga Daioh is that everything seems natural and spontaneous, which is mainly what makes everything so funny.

Excel Saga is one of a select few shows designed for fanatic genre fans. Its frantic pace, multitude of sight gags, and frequent genre references make it a show that appeal is determined by how much the viewer “gets it.” For those who do “get it,” Excel Saga is a show so full of the unexpected, and so willing to make fun of itself and the genre conventions its fans take so seriously, that it becomes a show fans tell each other, “You’ve got to see this!” over. It’s essentially a long running inside joke that’s riotously funny to those on the inside because it’s so niche oriented and encompassing of everything sci-fi/fantasy/horror/video game/anime fans love.

FLCL manages to combine the inside joke humor of Excel Saga with simply bizarre, off-the-wall situations and animation quality and action choreography that’s so exciting that it can’t help but entertain. The strength of FLCL is that it appeals to everyone and no one at once. Its genre sight gags appeal to the select viewers that recognize them, and its simply outré humor just defies description- simultaneously alienating and fascinating viewers. In simple terms, FLCL is so shockingly weird, that the only possible reaction to it is bewildered amusement.

Ike! Inachuu Takkyuubu (Ping Pong Club) succeeds by defying expectations as well. Like a Japanese South Park, Ping Pong Club simply lowers itself to a sublime depth of crass, offensive and disgusting humor. Nothing is taboo and nothing is reserved, resulting in comedy so rude that it becomes shockingly funny because it’s so totally unexpected. Ping Pong club defies expectations by consistently showing us what we think it can’t possible show us. The darkest and most recessed parts of our minds are brought forth and put on mad display in this carnival of freaks, abnormalities and challenges to good taste and cultured sensibilities.

Ippatsu Kiki Musume is the ultimate in situation comedy. Taking perverse pleasure in the misfortune of others is taken to extreme lengths as main character Kunyan manages to consistently get herself into life-threatening situations of virtually unthinkably strange proportions. Relying on a friend’s experience in oral sex to avoid drowning, attempting “reverse CPR” through the rear end, being stuck in a yoga pose while hurling condom water balloons to extinguish a life threatening fire, and the use of a broom handle and strong sphincter muscles to escape the grasp of a man eating python are the epitome of painfully funny, risqué, situational humor.

Jungle Wa Itsumo Hare Nochi Guu takes the concept of a stranger in a strange land and makes it funny by making the environment change around the local, instead of making the local change environment. Main character Hare plays the straight man whose world is suddenly confused by the appearance of Guu, a strange little girl who seems to be inhuman and seems to immensely enjoy driving Hare mad. Since Guu doesn’t seem to be human, you can never tell what she’ll do next. Add to that an entire cast of eccentrics and the total is a wacky and strange world where anything can happen at any moment, and usually does.

Kodomo no Omocha is a fan favorite because it virtually single handedly pioneered the comedy conventions later employed by many of the other shows on this list. Kodomo no Omocha is sometimes described as akin to watching Project A-ko on fast forward. With the frantic pace of the show, sight gags that would be totally unbelievable in any other anime become almost overlooked in “Kodocha.” The gags and word puns come so quick and constantly that they’re almost overwhelming, leaving the viewer dazed and breathless.

Miami Guns is the spiritual successor to Excel Saga. Best described as Excel Saga meets You’re Under Arrest, this crazy sight gag comedy includes parodies of Evangelion, Rat Fink, Initial D, Bruce Willis, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Godzilla, Wacky Races, and much more, as well as plenty of sexy, scantily clad girls and reckless gunplay and explosions and massive property damage.

Oruchuban Ebichu wasn’t actually a show in and of itself. It was part of the hour long Gainax television program Anime Ai no Awa Awa Hour. Like many of the other shows on this list, Ebichu is riotously funny because it dares to push the envelope and show viewers what was thought impossible to show. Ebichu’s outsider’s perspective on the human condition, and her own unflappable optimism in spite of everything, as well as the small cast’s absurd but still believable actions and characterizations make the show crazy, risqué, and utterly taboo shatteringly funny.

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